Fascinating. And who are the French troops at the front? POWs? If so, they seem to be very friendly towards their captors.

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Charlie beat me to it on the Tankograd ref. He started his New Year before me, you see.

As regards the non-German gents in the photo, it does seem to be the case that they are wearing one-piece helmets. I hadn't seen any ref to an Italian greatcoat, but it seems there was a Model 1909, double breasted. MZ's info is intriguing; I'd like to know more.

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Indeed, many thanks. Have been reading up on Italians in Second Marne and trying to cross reference and work out where they met A7Vs. It seems there is always something new to discover.

I still don't understand why the prisoners are so relaxed and apparently getting on well with the Germans.

The obvious next question is: did Italians ever meet Austrians on the Western Front?

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Is it possible that some of the Italians are in fact Germans dressed up as Italians? A photo taken when hanging around between shots for a (documentary) film, even?

That thought flitted across my mind. It's reminiscent of the photos of the cast of Westfront 1918 consorting off-camera. But which film might it be?

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There's a picture showing relaxed Britisch PoWs posing together with the crew of 506 on March 21, 1918. I guess, once cameras were made ready for taking souvenir photos, the danger of being shot was past - and prisoners would relax - and even rejoyce for being alive still.

"Only twenty A7V tanks were ever built and saw action in the Great War. Despite this fact and that its impact on the course of the war was barely noticed, the technical aspects of the design and that it was the landmark of German ‘Panzer' development in the 20th Century made the A7V an icon. The story and technical details of the A7V's development and combat are subject to intensive research for the past thirty years. While several competent extensive books covering the development of the German tank force in World War One have been written, the A7V never was the centre of a detailed, comprehensive and up-to-date monograph. This publication, written by the leading experts in the field, and supported with no less than 36 hitherto unpublished high-quality photographs, aims at telling the story of the A7V based on today's improved knowledge. It also highlights the tank from a different perspective, including individual data sheets with records for each A7V ever built, the war-time use in the three Abteilungen and in Freikorps service. Further chapters include among others the Überlandwagen tracked lorry, crew uniforms, preserved A7Vs and replicas. In addition, the photographs are shown, wherever possible, enhanced in quality and in large size to allow a closer look on technical details. This will allow the enthusiast to access the subject easier, but also grants the expert access to unseen material that only surfaced in the new millenium.

On 104 pages this publication is illustrated with 134 photographs and 12 graphics plus 2 five-side 1/35 scale drawings based on recent new data.

The Tankograd book is excellent (and so are the two companion Beutepanzer volumes on the use of captured British rhomboids). I would recommend that as a good single modern reference in print (the other books by Messrs Strasheim and Hundleby - who in themselves are a recommendation as well - are, I think, older, and/or harder to find).

There is far more information than the Osprey Duel book simply by means of its format alone, and the photos are printed to a larger size too. Remember the Osprey book spends some of its limited space on Mark IVs and on colour plates.

The first 'POW' sitting on the floor has a white arm band over his great coat. It looks like it has a marking on it. It is not a bandage. You do not put them over outercoats. I think he is the medic and the other two POW would be his stretcher bearers? I believe they are French.